TV by the Decade :: September 18•21

Mutant Enemy Productions

Premiere Week continues across the last seven decades with many notable series making their premieres, and many, many more that failed to go longer than a season. Each decade had at least one major hit series. 1952 brought a DC Comics superhero to the small screen, and also produced a variety series that led to the creation of a beloved sitcom. 1962 gave us a long-running Western, a variety series headlined by a popular singer, and a futuristic primetime animated series. 1972 was the least successful of the decade with only one regular series running for a full season. 1982 saw several new Saturday morning animated shows come and go, a daily comedy series starring a puppet, and a classic sitcom that gave Michael J. Fox his big break. 1992 saw Bob Newhart and The Golden Girls attempt new series with less than stellar results, but also gave us classic Emmy-winning drama and comedy series. 2002 saw the out of context premiere of a now cult classic sci-fi series, and the first spin-off of a popular CBS crime drama, and 2012 saw the rise of reality TV with only a handful of scripted series making their debuts. Read on to see what shows are celebrating this week, and share your favorite memories of them with us in the comments section below.

1952

September 19 – Adventures of Superman (Syndication, Six seasons, 104 episodes)
September 20 – The Jackie Gleason Show (CBS, Four seasons, 156 episodes)
September 22 – Life with Luigi (CBS, One season, 15 episodes)

1962

Hanna-Barbera

September 19 – The Virginian (NBC, Nine seasons, 249 episodes)
September 20 – The Andy Williams Show (NBC, 1962-1967; 1969-1971)
September 20 – Wide Country (NBC, One season, 28 episodes)
September 21 – Don’t Call Me Charlie! (NBC, One season, 26 episodes, 2 unaired)
September 21 – Fair Exchange (CBS, Two seasons, 27 episodes)
September 23 – Ensign O’Toole (NBC, One season, 32 episodes)
September 23 – The Jetsons (ABC, One season, 24 episodes)
September 23 – McKeever and the Colonel (NBC, One season, 26 episodes)

1972

September 18 – The Sandy Duncan Show (CBS, One season, 13 episodes)
September 20 – The Men: Jigsaw (ABC, One season, 8 episodes)
September 20 – The NBC Mystery Movie: Madigan (NBC, One season, 6 episodes)
September 21 – Young Dr. Kildare (Syndication, One season, 24 episodes)

1982

September 18 – The Flintstone Funnies (NBC, One season, 45 episodes)
September 18 – The Gary Coleman Show (NBC, One season, 13 episodes, 26 segments)
September 18 – Gilligan’s Planet (CBS, One season, 13 episodes)
September 18 – The Incredible Hulk (NBC, One season, 13 episodes)
September 18 – Meatballs & Spaghetti (CBS, One season, 25 episodes)
September 18 – Pandamonium (CBS, One season, 13 episodes)
September 18 – Shirt Tales (NBC, Two seasons, 23 episodes, 46 segments)
September 19 – Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (CBS, One season, 22 episodes)
September 20 – Child’s Play (CBS, One season, 258 episodes)
September 20 – Madame’s Place (Syndication, One season, 51 episodes)
September 22 – Family Ties (NBC, Seven seasons, 176 episodes)
September 22 – Tales of the Gold Monkey (ABC, One season, 22 episodes)
September 24 – Bring ‘Em Back Alive (CBS, One season, 17 episodes)

1992

David E. Kelly Productions

September 18 – Bob (CBS, Two seasons, 33 episodes, 3 unaired)
September 18 – Camp Wilder (ABC, One season, 20 episodes, 1 unaired)
September 18 – The Golden Palace (CBS, One season, 24 episodes)
September 18 – Picket Fences (CBS, Four seasons, 88 episodes)
September 18 – The Round Table (NBC, One season, 7 episodes, 2 unaired)
September 19 – The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys (CBS, One season, 11 episodes)
September 19 – The Edge (FOX, One season, 18 episodes)
September 19 – Here and Now (NBC, One season, 15 episodes, 2 unaired)
September 19 – Knights and Warriors (Syndication, One season)
September 19 – Raw Toonage (CBS, One season, 12 episodes, 39 segments)
September 19 – Renegade (Syndication/USA Network, Five seasons, 110 episodes)
September 21 – The Adventures of T-Rex (Syndication, One season, 52 episodes)
September 21 – Love & War (CBS, Three seasons, 68 episodes)
September 22 – Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper (ABC, Five seasons, 101 episodes)
September 23 – Mad About You (NBC, Eight seasons, 176 episodes)
September 24 – FTL Newsfeed (Sci-Fi Channel, Four seasons, 1,106 episodes)
September 24 – Rhythm & Blues (NBC, One season, 13 episodes, 7 unaired)

2002

September 18 – Cedric the Entertainer Presents (FOX, One season, 21 episodes)
September 18 – Fastlane (FOX, One season, 22 episodes + unaired pilot)
September 18 – The Twilight Zone (UPN, One season, 43 episodes)
September 19 – Do Over (The WB, One season, 15 episodes, 4 unaired)
September 20 – Firefly (FOX, One season, 14 episodes, 3 unaired)
September 20 – Greetings from Tucson (The WB, One season, 22 episodes)
September 20 – John Doe (FOX, One season, 21 episodes)
September 20 – What I Like About You (The WB, Four seasons, 86 episodes)
September 21 – Girls Behaving Badly (Oxygen/Syndication, 2002-2005)
September 22 – O2Be (Oxygen, One season, 6 episodes)
September 23 – CSI: Miami (CBS, Ten seasons, 232 episodes)
September 23 – Half & Half (UPN, Four seasons, 91 episodes)
September 24 – Haunted (UPN, One season, 11 episodes, 4 unaired)
September 24 – Hidden Hills (NBC, One season, 18 episodes, 5 unaired)
September 24 – In-Laws (NBC, One season, 15 episodes, 1 unaired)
September 24 – Presidio Med (CBS, One season, 14 episodes, 3 unaired)

2012

Cartoon Network Studios

September 18 – Hot Set (Syfy, One season, 6 episodes)
September 18 – The Rickey Smiley Show (TV One, Three seasons, 37 episodes)
September 19 – How Booze Built America (Discovery Channel, mini-series)
September 19 – Tornado Chasers (TVN, Two seasons, 24 episodes, 7 specials)
September 20 – Prom Queens (Lifetime, One season, 6 episodes)
September 20 – Tamar & Vince (WE tv, Five seasons, 44 episodes)
September 21 – Secret Princes (TLC, Two seasons, 12 episodes)
September 22 – Ben 10: Omniverse (Cartoon Network, Eight seasons, 80 episodes)
September 22 – The First Family (Syndication, Two seasons, 36 episodes)
September 22 – Mr. Box Office (Syndication, Two seasons, 36 episodes)
September 23 – $24 in 24 (Food Network, One season, 7 episodes)
September 24 – Chrissy & Mr. Jones (VH1, Two seasons, 16 episodes)
September 24 – Partners (CBS, One season, 13 episodes, 7 unaired)

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